J. F. Campbell Collection > Temora, an ancient epic poem, in eight books

8 T E M O R A:
thev meet the rocks without fear, and overturn the woods.-— But
let us move in our ftrength, flow as a gathered cloud. Then
fliall the mighty tremble ; the fpear fhall fall from the hand of the
valiant. — We fee the cloud of death, they will fay, while fliadows
fly over their face. Fingal will mourn in his age, and fee his fly-
ing fame. — The fleps of his chiefs will ceafe in Morven : the mofs
of years fliall grow in Selma.
Cairbar heard their words, in filence, like the cloud of a
jfhower : it fl:ands dark on Cromla, till the lightning burflis its fide :
the valley gleams with red light ; the fpirits of the ftorm rejoice.
■So flood the filent king of Temora; at length his words are
heard.
Spread the feaft on Moi-lena : let my hundred bards attend.
Thou, red-hair'd Olla, take the harp of the king. Go to Ofcar
chief of fwords, and bid him to our feaft. To-day we feaft and
hear the fong ; to-morrow break the fpears. Tell him that I have
raifed the tomb of Cathol * ; that bards have fung to his ghoft.—
Tell him that Cairbar has heard his fame at the ftream of rcfounding
Carun-f-. Cathmor ij: is not here, Borbar-duthul's generous race.
He
* Cathol the Ton of Maronnan, orMcran, and had beforehand contrived to kill him at
was murdered by Cairbar, for his attachment the feaft, to which he here invites hijn.
to the family of Cormac. He had attended f He alludes to the battle of Ofcar againft
Ofcar to thew-vjr of Inis'thona, where they Caros, king of Jlrps ; who is fuppofed to be
contrafled a great friendfhip for one an- the fame with Caraufius the ufurper.
other. Ofcar, immediately after the death j Cathmor, great in battle, the fon of
of Cathol, had fent a formal challenge to Borbar-duthul, and brother of Cairbar king
Cairbar, which he prudently declined, but of Ireland, had, before the infurrcflion of
conceived a fccret hatred againlt Ofcar, the Firbolg, pafled over into Inis-huna,
fup-